A Game of Thrones: Genesis will require "a certain investment" from players

Regis Robin, designer of Cyanide Studios' upcoming adaptation of George R R Martin's fantasy epic, has said A Game of Thrones: Genesis won't be immediately accessible to new players.

"'A Game of Thrones' is far from what one would call a run-of-the-mill book," Robin told Big Download. "The scope and structure of the series require a fair bit of effort on the part of the reader.

"It's the same with the game. It's going to take a certain investment in time to understand all the mechanisms and, no doubt, this will annoy some players. However, once the mechanisms have been mastered, it really will be a fun game.

"We can't eliminate the exasperation, but we can guarantee that one infuriated player means that his opponent is smiling from ear to ear."

Robin feels the novels' feted political lean is primed to set the game ahead of RPG and RTS competitors, even if it comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve.

"We felt that the unification of the Seven Kingdoms and the subsequent conflicts were well suited to the RTS format," he said.

"However, contrary to most 'conquer & build' games, ours does rely on a significant dose of politics and intrigue rather than just military might."

A Game of Thrones: Genesis features a 700 year-long campaign outlining the history of Westeros up to the first book in the A Song if Ice and Fire series, and for advanced players, a multiplayer Kingdom mode pitting nobel houses against each other. It's due on PC this year.